Evaporator coolers



June 11, 1963 1.1ORENT2EN 3,092,978

EVAPGRATOR COOLERS Filed Dec. 2, 1960 8 Il l 4 6 Z y ou 151| 23M! i f2 i 'f um /O Voa z s:

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United States Patent O 3,092,978 EVAPORATOR CGLERS Juergen Lorentzen, Naerum, Denmark (A/ S Atlas, Baldersgade 3, Copenhagen, Denmark), Filed Dec. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 73,419 Claims priority, application Denmark Dec. 4, 1959 11 Claims. (Cl. 62-216) The invention relates to an evaporator cooler the cooling surface of which is of a rotating face with a vertical axis, and where up to the cooling surface there 4is a comparatively narrow annular liquid chamber to which is conducted uid evaporable cooling medium which evaporates and in this condition is conducted from the upper part of the annular liquid chamber through a vapourliquid-separator away from the evaporator cooler. The evaporator cooler according to the invention is particularly well adapted for use Iin a machine where across the cooling surface it is possible toV spread a liquid which congeals by cooling and which after the congelation is scraped o from the cooling surface. Such a liquid may be water or a fat emulsion. The cooling surface is preferably outwardly directed and preferably cylindrical.

The hitherto known evaporator coolers of the kind referred to are provided with a vapour-liquid-separator arranged at the side of the evaporator cooler and connected to the upper part of the annular liquid chamber through a pipe line. In order to obtain a good effect the vapourliquid-separator must have a comparatively big cubic content. As it is cold during the working it must be strongly insulated. For the said reasons the vapor-liquidevaporator takes up much space, and it is fairly expensive. Moreover, the effect of the whole plant is reduced on account of the rather considerable amount of heat which from the surroundings passes into the vapor-liquid-separator.

Itis the object of the invention to provide an evaporator cooler of the kind referred to, in which the said drawbacks have been remedied so that the evaporator cooler takes up a comparatively small space, is fairly cheap to manufac-ture and only absorbs a comparatively small amount of undesired heat from the surroundings. The characteristic feature of an evaporator cooler, according to the invention, is that the vapour-liquid-separator is annular and arranged inside the evaporator cooler proper and has a radial connection to the upper part of the annular liquid chamber substantially along the entire circumference. By this arrangement the said advantages can be obtained in a simple and practical manner. Since the annular liquid chamber usually has a comparatively big diameter considerable dimensions are obtained for the vapour-liquid-separator in which manner a particularly elfective separation is obtained seeing that the ow speeds can during the separation become small.

The embodiment according to the invention is particularly advantageous when the evaporator cooler hasV an external cooling surface and rotates about its axis. The admission of fluid cooling medium and the outlet of vaporous cooling medium may then take place axially.

The vapour-liquid-separator may advantageously be provided with an annular downwardly directed bafleplate. The cooling medium vapours will then be forced down below this baille-plate thus obtaining an effective separation.

An evaporator cooler as mentioned and with external cooling surface may advantageously at each end of a plate jacket the outer side of which forms the cooling surface, have an end wall, and the annular liquid charnber may be divided by an inner partition wall. In this manner a simple and practical construction is obtained where the evaporator cooler forms a drum with a presrice sure resisting jacket and pressure resisting end walls whereas the inner wall or walls may be constructed with small thickness. The lower edge of the inner partition Wall may advantageously be fastened to the upper side of the lower end wall. By this arrangement an especiallyr simple and practical construction is obtained.

The evaporator cooler may advantageosuly have two or more annular liquid chambers lying above each other, where each two liquid chambers lying above each other are connected to each other by an overflow from the upper to the lower chamber, and each of the liquid chambers may at the top have radial vapour outlet to a common vapour chamber in the central portion of the evaporator cooler. Thus an even distribution of the cooling eect along the level of the cooling surface is obtained. From each of the chambers only a comparatively small amount of vapour is let out so that the vapour separation becomes particularly effective.

In an evaporator cooler where the annular liquid charnber or chambers form the ascending part of an inner circulation system the fall portion of the circulation systern may have an overflow to carry away surplus of liquid through a channel axially arranged at the bottom and connected to a feeler mechanism reacting in dependence on the supply of liquid for the regulation of the admission of cooling medium to the evaporator cooler. By this arrangement it is possible in a simple manner to obtain a reliable regulation of the admission of cooling 'medium to the evaporator cooler.

The inlet pipe of the cooling medium of the evaporator cooler may advantageously extend from the bottom axially upwards approximately to the upper end wall where it is bent to one side in across an annular conical plate portion extending outwardly towards the annular liquid chamber.

In the drawing are shown two embodiments of an evaporator cooler according to the invention, in which- FIG. l shows an axial section in an evaporator cooler of the first embodiment, and

FIG. 2 an axial section in an evaporator cooler of the second embodiment.

In FIG. l, l1 is a heavy cylindrical plate wall in a cylindrical drum having an upper heavy end wall 2 and va lower heavy end wall 3. By means of a journal 4 on the upper end wall 2 the drum is mounted in a bearing 6 and by means of a pipe bush 5 in the lower end Wall journalled in a container 7 serving as packing box. The bearing `6 is secured in a permanent plate 8 arranged above the end wall 2, and the container 7 is secured in a permanent plate 9 arranged under the end wall 3, in a frame the other parts of which are not shown.

Between the plates 8 :and 9 there is at the side of the drum 1, 2, 3 permanently arranged a column 10 with Scrapers 11 which during the rotation of the drum scrape the outer side of the wall 1 forming the cooling surface. The latter is during the rotation of the drum spnayed with water which from holes 12 in Ia tube 13 flows in towards the upper part of the cooling surface and in a thin layer runs down the same. The tube 13 extends along pant of the circumference yof the cooling surface and is secured to the plate 8. The thin layer of Water freezes into ice on the cooling surface, yand the Scrapers 11 `scrape during their rotation the ice olf the cooling surface in the form of small pieces of ice which fall down on Ia lslide 14 yarranged under the drum and extending down through the plate 9. Water which is not frozen into ice lis collected in a trough 15 'on the plate 19.

In the linterior of the drum there is an annular wall 16 the lower edge of which is secured in a tight-fitting manner to the upper side of the lower end wall 3, and fthe upper edge -of which lies a little lbeneath the upper end wall 2. To the side of the wall 16 is connected -a conical annular plate 17 having a central opening 2.7,y

and which from the latter extends lobliquely outwardsdownwards to the wall 15. At a. small distance from the Vwall 16 there is an annular bathe-plate 17S extending from the upper end Wall 2 down past the upper edge of the wall 16. In the conical plate 17 there is an eccentric opening 19 Ito which is connected one end of a pipe 20 .the other .end of which is connected to an opening 21 at the bottom of the wall 16.

Up through the container 7 extends a `cooling medium inlet pipe 22 projecting up through the opening 27 and above the same has a part 23 bent to one side. Through an opening in the plate 17 extends a pipe 24 one end 'of which is located above the plate 17, and which at the bottom extends obliquelyinwards towards the pipe 22 and has its lower open end directed downwards at the sideof the same. From ythe bottom of the container 7 san outlet Y pipe 25 leads to a cooling mechanism (not shown) de- Vmedium vapours to the said cooling compressor.

The annular chamber 28 between the jacket wall 1 and fthe annular wall 16 forms .a liquid chamber in which the evaporation of the admitted fluid cooling medium takes place.

When using the illustrated evaporator cooler, the -drum 1, 2, 3 is rotated, and fluid cooling medium is 'admitted in Y regulated quantity through the pipe 22. The iluid cooling medium flows from the pipe part 23 down across the annular conical plate 17 and through the opening 19 'and the pipe 20 ou-t into the annular liquid chamber 28 where an evaporation takes place so .that the wall 1 is cooled ott. The vapours passrupwards across the upper edge of the wall 16, down under the baffle-plate 1S and fon radially in towards the middle `of Ithe drum, where they ilow through the opening 27 and the chamber 29 limited by the wall 16 andthe plate 17 and the lower end wall 3, from said chamber through the Ibush and 4the container 7 and through the pipe 26 to the compressor. By the evaporation in the chamber 28 the liquid drops will be carried along by the vapour. These liquid drops will, however,

to all essentials either fall directly down against the plate 17 -or hit the battle-plate 18 and from the latter drip down against the plate 17 so that a circuit is formed.

The cooling .medium may be supplied with a small excess, and the excess `flows through the pipe 24 down into the bottom of the container 7 yfrom where it flows on through the ,pipe 25. The said cooling mechanism may yadvantageously be arranged in such a Way that even a slight admission of liquid through the pipe 25 causes a reduction or stop of the ow through the pipe 22.

. On :account of lthe very eiective liquid separation that can be obtained by the illustrated arrangement, the evaporator cooler may be :arranged to functionvery intensivelyso that a strong boiling in the liquid chamber 28 takes Yplace and consequently a considerable carrying along of liquid drops thus obtaining a strong circulation where the chamber 28 forms the ascending of a circula-tion system and .the pipe 20 the fall part of the lsystem. In this manner an eiective heat exchange is obtained.

' The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 diiers only from 'the one in FIG. 1 by the members arranged inside the cooling drum. `In the drum there is a number :of annular bottoms 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35, the outer edge of which is tightly connected to the jacket wall 1. Io each of these annular bottoms there is at the inner edge closely connected an upwardly extending annular wall 36, 37, 38, 39 and `40 'and a corresponding wall 41 is secured to the lower end wall 3. The upper edge of the annular wall 36 is located a little under the upper end wall 2, while the remaining annular walls have their upper edge located a little beneath the annular bottom in question.

To the inner side of the annular wall 36 is connected a `conical annular wall 42 extending inwardly-upwardly to a central opening 27. To each of the annular walls 37, 3S, 39, 40 and 41 is connected a conical annular Wall 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47. From each of the annular walls 42, 43, 144, 45, 46 .and 47 la pipe 43, 49, 5t), 51, 52 and 53 extends down to an opening at the bottom of `the 'annular wal136, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41 in question. In each of the annular walls 42, 43, 44, 45 land 46 there are overilow holes 54, 55, 56, 57 and 53 opening above the underneath positioned conical annular wall 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47. The wall -47 has a hole to which is connected y'an overflow pipe 59 extending obliquely inwardly-downwardly to the bush 5. Y

The evaporator cooler shown in FIG. 2 functions substantially as the one shown in FIG. 1. 'Ihe cooling medium ows through the pipe 22, 23 ydown over the annular wall 42 through the pipe 43 into the 'annular liquid chamber located between the walls 36 and 1, and there the evaporation takesplace. 'Ihe vapours pass over the upper edge of the wall 36 and down through the opening 27. The excess liquid flows through the openings 54 down into the next section `of the evaporator and so on, the remaining excess liquid owing through the pipey 59. The vapours flow into the central chamber of the drum. The height of the sections may advantageously be selected in `such a -way lthat the vapour development is not hampered by a too high liquid level in the section.

The evaporator cooler may be constructed inr manners lother than shown and described. The cooling drum 1, 2, 3 may thus be stationary, while the Scrapers 11 and the members for -the application of'water on the outer side of the drum may rotate about the drum. As cooling medium may be used agents 'of known nature, such as Freon which under excess pressurey and at low temperature is iluid but evaporates at a temperature' corresponding to .fthe `substance to be cooled Aby the evaporator cooler.

I claim:

1. Evaporator cooler, comprising an outer substantially cylindrical cooling wall forming a `drum and having a vertical axis, an inner =wall at a distance from the innerside of said outer cooling wall so ,that said Vwalls define between them a substantially narrow annular chamber, a bottom Wall for said drum, a top wall for said drum, conduit means internally disposed of said drum for conducting a -iluid revaporable cooling medium to the lower portion of said annular chamber, said inner wall having its upper edge situate at a distance from the innerside of the top Wall so as to deiine an aperture communicating'with the annular chamber and extending radially inwards, an intermediate wall forming a substantially closed central chamber with said top wall which communicates through said aperture with said annular chamber, conduit means extending from the bottom of said central chamber to the'lower portion of the annular Y chamber and further conduit lmeans `for conducting cooling medium vapor away lfrom said central chamber;

2. Evaporator coolerl as claimed in claimy 1, in which baille means are mounted in said central chamber and arranged proximate to said aperture. Y

3. Evaporator cooler as claimed in claim 1, in which an overow member is arranged in said central member and is connected to a conduit for conducting overow liquid cooling medium away from said central chamber.

4. Evaporator cooler as claimed in claim 1, in which the conduit means for conducting cooling medium vapors away :trom said central chamber open centrally into said central chamber.

5. Evaporator cooler as claimed in claim l, in which the intermediate wall Yof the central chamber is substantially conical and generally is inclined outwardly downwards.

6. Evaporator cooler'comprising an outer'substantially cylindrical cooling wall forming a drum with a vertical axis, an inner wall juxtaposed at a distance from the inner side of said outer wall so that the walls define between them a substantially nar-row annular chamber, a bottom wall for said drum, a top wall `for said drum, conduit means internally :disposed of said ydrum for conducting a Huid evaporable cooling medium to the lower portion of said annular chamber, said inner wall having its upper edge situate at a distance from the underside of the top wall so as to dene an aperture communicating with the annular cahmber and extending radially inwards, an intermediate wall forming a substantially closed central chamber with said top wall which communicates through said aperture with the annular chamber, conduit means from the bottom of said central chamber to the lower portion lof the annular chamber, conduit means for conducting cooling medium vapor away from said central chamber, at least one further annular chamber positioned below said annular chamber defined by the outer cooling wall and a further inner wall below said inner wall, an :overliow member in the central chamber, and a conduit connecting the overflow member with the lower portion of the further annular chamber for conducting loverflow liquid cooling medium to said lower portion :of the further annular chamber.

7. Evaporator cooler as claimed in claim 6, in which baffle means are mounted in said central chamber and arranged proximate to said aperture.

8. Evaporator cooler comprising an outer substantially cylindrical cooling wall forming a drum with a vertical axis, an inner wall at a distance from the inner side of said outer cooling Wall so that said Walls dene between them a substantially narrow annular chamber, a bottom wall for said drum, a top wall for said drum, conduit means internally disposed of said drum -for conducting uid evaporable cooling medium to the lower portion of said annular chamber, said inner wall having its upper edge situate at a distance from the underside of the top wall so as to dene an aperture communicating with the annular chamber and extending radially inwards, an intermediate wall and the top wall forming a closed central chamber which communicates through said aperture with the annular chamber, conduit means extending from the bottom of said central chamber to the lower portion of the annular chamber, conduit means for conducting cooling medium vapor away from said central chamber, and an .overflow member arranged in said central chamber and connected to a conduit for conducting overflow liquid cooling medium away lfrom said chamber, said conduit for conducting overiiow liquid cooling medium comprises a sensing means reacting on supply `of liquid for the regulation of admission of cooling medium to the evaporator cooler.

9. Evaporator cooler as claimed in claim 8, in which baffle means are mounted in said central chamber and arranged proximate to said aperture.

10. Evaporator cooler comprising an outer substantially cylindrical cooling wall forming a drum and having a substantially vertical axis, an inner wall at a distance from the inner side of said outer cooling -wall so that said walls deine between them a substantially narrow annular chamber, a bottom wall for said drum, a top wall -for said [dr-um, conduit means internally disposed -of said drum for conducting uid evaporable cooling medium to the lower portion of said annular chamber, said inner wall having its upper edge situate at a distance from the underside of the top wall so as to define an aperture comunicating with the annular chamber and extending radially inwards, said top wall and an intermediate wall forming a closed central chamber which communicates through said aperture with the annular chamber, conduit means extending from the bottom of said central chamber to the lower portion tof the annular chamber, and conduit means for conducting cooling medium vapor away from said central chamber, said conduit means for conducting uid evaporable cooling medium to the lower portion of said annular chamber comprising a supply pipe extending ygenerally axially upwards substantially to the upper wall of the central chamber and has its upper end bent to one side thereof.

l1. Evaporator cooler as claimed in claim 10, in which baille means are mounted in said central chamber and arranged proximate to said aperture.

Branchliower Feb. 21, 1956 Newman Nov. 12, 1957 

1. EVAPORATOR COOLER, COMPRISING AN OUTER SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL COOLING WALL FORMING A DRUM AND HAVING A VERTICAL AXIS, AN INNER WALL AT A DISTANCE FROM THE INNERSIDE OF SAID OUTER COOLING WALL SO THAT SAID WALLS DEFINE BETWEEN THEM A SUBSTANTIALLY NARROW ANNULAR CHAMBER, A BOTTOM WALL FOR SAID DRUM, A TOP WALL FOR SAID DRUM, CONDUIT MEANS INTERNALLY DISPOSED OF SAID DRUM FOR CONDUCTING A FLUID EVAPORABLE COOLING MEDIUM TO THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID ANNULAR CHAMBER, SAID INNER WALL HAVING ITS UPPER EDGE SITUATE AT A DISTANCE FROM THE INNERSIDE OF THE TOP WALL SO AS TO DEFINE AN APERTURE COMMUNICATING WITH THE ANNULAR CHAMBER AND EXTENDING RADIALLY INWARDS, AN INTERMEDIATE WALL FORMING A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED CENTRAL CHAMBER WITH SAID TOP WALL WHICH COMMUNICATES THROUGH SAID APERTURE WITH SAID ANNULAR CHAMBER, CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID CENTRAL CHAMBER TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE ANNULAR CHAMBER AND FURTHER CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONDUCTING COOLING MEDIUM VAPOR AWAY FROM SAID CENTRAL CHAMBER. 